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† THE GLASS FACTORY. †
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.,,,,,,,,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., AND A GIFT SHOP. ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, †† ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, †† ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., LIT FROM BEHIND. ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, †† ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, †† ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, FLOOR. ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, †† ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ † † ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, †† †† ,,,,,.~=†£
££†=~.,,,, †† ,,,,.~=†££
#££†=~.,,, ,,,.~=†££#
##££†=~.,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,.~=†££##
###££†=~., AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,.~=†££###
##££†=~.,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,.~=†££##
#££†=~.,,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,,.~=†££#
££†=~.,,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,,.~=†££
£†=~.,,,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,,,.~=†£
†=~.,,,,,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,,,,,.~=†
=~.,,,,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,,,,.~=
~.,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,.~
.,,,,,,,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,,,,,,,.
,,,,,,,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,,,,,,,
.,,,,,,,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,,,,,,,.
~.,,,,,,,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,,,,,,,.~
=~.,,,,,,, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,,,,,,,.~=
†=~.,,,,,, ,,,,,,.~=†
£†=~.,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,.~=†£
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